In this parashah “[Betzalel] made the robe [for the Cohen HaGadol]” and they “made pomegranates [and] ...pure gold bells, and placed the bells in the pomegranates.” It then says “there was a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate all around the bottom of the robe.”
Before getting into specifics, we need to mention that some
of the information you are about to read requires a broader understanding of
certain concepts. The reader is therefore strongly advised to read each
of the essential constructs
listed in the column to the right before proceeding. These
constructs reveal the basic connection between the letters of
the Name
and the multidimensional mathematic and geometric characteristics of the
luchot, both in their divided state and combined cubic form, along with
an explanation of its internal geometry that casts a shadow known as a
magen david. There
is a special connection between the Name, the luchot and the geometry of
the magen. The purpose of this blog is to show how they connect
with one another, and
to reveal where this unique Signature of the Architect is hidden in each
week’s parashah. Once you are familiar with these constructs you can
more fully appreciate each post.
With
respect Parashah Pekudey, there is considerable debate in the Talmud
and other sources as to specifics regarding the robe, the bells and the
pomegranates. Was there a bell next to each pomegranate, or was there a
bell inside each pomegranate? Some say there were 36, some say 70 and
some say there were 72 pomegranates (and an equal number of bells).
Given
the numbers, sets of numbers and ratios between the sets found in the
last parashah, relative to the ratio of phi; relative to the
measurements of the tabernacle; and their connection to God’s Name, the
description of the robe with its components might be altogether
different, and so I offer the following for consideration:
The
number 70 has an indirect relation to God’s Name through a segment of
the geometry in the royal seal (three-dimensional magen david). The
number 36 is a facet of the Name as well, in that it is half of 72, but
half of 72 is just that (only half) and so its connection is also
somewhat indirect. The number 72 has a direct connection to God’s Name,
in that it is the number of triplets, but still just one third the
number of letters. We pointed out in (last week's) post on Parashah VaYakhel,
that without the third wall of the Mishkan, there were only 2 x 72
(hand-breadths) or 144 elements, and so the reflection fell 72 short of
the mark. However, when we added the third wall, which was 72
hand-breadths, the total measurement became 3 x 72 or 216
hand-breadths, which properly reflected not only the number of letters
in the Explicit Name, but also the triad nature of that Name.
In
the case of the robe, if there were 72 pomegranates then there would be
72 bells and we would have the same problem we had in the last parashah
concerning the walls (2 x 72 = 144). Each opinion thus far offered, is
inadequate to reflect both the number and nature of the letters in His
Name. In the case of 72, the total number is missing a vector or
component of the triad form (see the post on VaYakhel for a more
complete explanation). Briefly, in the case of the walls of the Mishkan,
there was a third wall (a third set of 72
hand-breadths) that came along to reconcile the discrepancy. Is it
possible there is yet another number to consider in describing the bells
and pomegranates?
The
Torah describes the hem of the robe as having a “bell and pomegranate,”
as though they were married together in pairs at the bottom of the
robe. In other words, they could have been side-by-side; or maybe one
inside the other (as suggested in some sources) but whatever their
position, they were somehow juxtaposed one against the other like twins.
Notice also that the phrase "bells and pomegranates," is repeated
twice! Two sets of twins should sound familiar.
Since
there were two items, bells and pomegranates (and the phrase is
repeated twice) then by logical inference the form would seem to mirror
that of the luchot, which were two mathematic and geometric twins
brought down twice in the form of 108 opposite 108 (cubic hand-breadths). Might there have been 108 pomegranates opposite 108
bells?
If this were the case, from a purely hypothetically standpoint
of course, how might they be distributed around the bottom of the robe.
Consider what happens, for example, if they were not merely
adjacent to one another, but also over top of one another, and
staggered triangularly as
pictured below.
This
would mean first, that the 108 bells opposite 108 pomegranates, were
like the 108 hand-breadths opposite 108 hand-breadths in the measure of
the north and south walls of the tabernacle when portioned according to
the ratio of phi. It would also mean they were like the 108 cubic
hand-breadths of the luchot, opposite its remaining 108 cubic hand-breadths, all of which reflect the number of letters in the Explicit Name. It would however, mean something else.
If the bells and pomegranates were juxtaposed as a series of triangles they would still be a string of alternating bells and pomegranates, but the staggered juxtaposition would form a series of triangles.
Question: If there were 108 of each, then how many triangles would there be?
Answer: There would be exactly 72 triangles (72 x 3 = 216) as shown in the model below.
In
this configuration, the hem of the robe with its bells and pomegranates
would be a mathematic and geometric mirror image, not only of the walls
of the mishkan that were both 3 x 72 and 2 x 108 at the same time, as
shown in the picture posted last week in VaYakhel,
but it would also reflect the mathematic and geometric characteristics
of the luchot. The requirement in the written Torah would be met, as
there would be "a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate all around the bottom" as specified. More importantly, the characteristics of the bells and pomegranates would mirror the number and the triad nature of the letters in the Explicit Name.
w/ 72 (Virtual) Triangular Forms
(the blue lines are used merely to show the triangular pattern)
Contemplate this for a moment and remember also that when the top angle of an equilateral triangle equals 108 degrees, the sum of the 2 bottom angles equals 72 degrees, and when the top angle equals 72 degrees, the sum of the 2 bottom angles equals 108 degrees. If you wanted the robe to reflect the number and nature of the letters in God's Name, how many bells and pomegranates would you include, and where, and how, would you place them?
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